Lesson Overview The purpose of this lesson is to teach the history of the theory of plate tectonics and to learn to better read scientific text. Students have learned about the structure of the earth and what plates are. Students will learn the text reading skills with the teacher first as a class, then in small groups to practice strategies. These skills will be needed for students to successfully complete a jigsaw activity that students will be doing later in the unit. At the close of the lesson the teacher will lead a discussion about Wegner's theory of continental drift according to the article.
Objectives
1. Students will demonstrate reading strategies for scientific text.
2. Students will be able to summarize the Wegner's theory of continental drift..
3. Students will cite evidence from scientific articles on their graphic organizer.
Activity: Without opening your notes, tear a piece of paper out of your notebook. In your own words what is the theory of Plate Tectonics? Please drop it on my desk when you have completed it.
Class will begin with the teacher talking about what we have learned so fa about plate tectonics and the earth. Visuals and animations will be on hand if students are having difficulty engaging.
Who can tell me what we have learned so far this week?
What is the structure of the earth?
Who thinks they got the question I asked today right?
What is the theory of plate tectonics?
What are plates?
To connect to today's activities...
Who makes these discoveries? At this point we will talk about the scientists.
Scientists, who are just people like you and me, make these discoveries. They do this by making observations, reading scientific information and putting together a theory. Today in class we are going to focus on how to read like a scientist while we learn about the development of the theory of plate tectonics.
What is a theory?
Who is Wegner? Why should we care?
Today we are going to read an article about Wegner and find out why we should care.
First we need to talk about reading a scientific article.
(10-15minutes)
Learning Activities
What are some good strategies to use while you are doing scientific reading?
What do you do to understand scientific reading when you are reading?
Asking questions while you read
Paying particular attention to bold or highlighted words
Looking at diagrams and taking the time to make the connection to the reading, like our map interpretation exercise,
Highlighting text
Making connections to things we already know
Taking the time to wonder what new words mean or what the author is saying
Asking yourself questions
Speculating what might happen
All of these tactics keep you focused on the reading. To read accurately and understand scientific reading students need to read differently. (10 minutes)
The article will be passed out and as a class we will read the first two paragraphs and practice some of our reading strategies.
The teacher will first model the strategies
Then the students will be expected to model it out loud in class. (Please see article that has many notes and think aloud options on it to demonstrate to the class.)
(10 minutes)
Next students work in pairs to demonstrate how to read scientific text.
Students will be expected to utilize at least two of the reading strategies.
At this time the teacher will be wandering around the room observing the students.
The teacher will step in to model reading strategies if necessary and will take note of any problems that may need to be addressed in future lessons or at the discussion period. (10 minutes)
As most students are finishing with the reading the teacher will begin to pass out the graphic organizer to the students. Students will complete the graphic organizer using the article. The teacher will wander around the room again.
What do fossils and climate have to do with continental drift?
How do the plates move in continental drift?
What are the continents made of?
What is under the continents?
How does concept of continental drift connect to the structure of the earth?
Examine the maps of the earth, what observations can you make about the maps of the earth at these different times?
Investigate Hutton's and Orthelius' contributions. How did they help Wegner to develop the theory of continental drift?
(10 minutes)
Closing At the end we will come together as a class, and have a quick wrap up discussion. At this time we will talk about how students felt about using the new strategies. We will also hold a discussion about the development of the theory of plate tectonics.
What did the earth look like 225 million years ago?
What is the mobile material the author was talking about on page one?
What is the name of Wegner’s theory?
Why did they call it that?
(5 minutes)
Assessment Informal: Students will be informally assessed with the paper they hand in in the beginning of class. Students will also be informally assessed for their reading strategies and their content understanding as they work in pairs. Students will also hand in their articles with evidence of the use of the reading strategies. So the teacher may review the use of the strategies and see if it correlates with student success. Formal: Students will also hand in their graphic organizer to be graded at the start of next class.
Homework Students will complete the graphic organizer for homework and hand it in for next class.
Additional Notes Misconceptions
Students often think that the lithospheric plates float upon molten rock.
Students frequently misinterpret the basis for the movement of the continents. One common misconception is the assumption that the rotation of the Earth is what causes the continents to move.
Students also may think that the continents float on the oceans and that the oceanic currents are responsible for continental drift.
Unit: Plate Tectonics
Title: Who is Wegner and why should you care?
Lesson Overview
The purpose of this lesson is to teach the history of the theory of plate tectonics and to learn to better read scientific text. Students have learned about the structure of the earth and what plates are. Students will learn the text reading skills with the teacher first as a class, then in small groups to practice strategies. These skills will be needed for students to successfully complete a jigsaw activity that students will be doing later in the unit. At the close of the lesson the teacher will lead a discussion about Wegner's theory of continental drift according to the article.
Objectives
1. Students will demonstrate reading strategies for scientific text.
2. Students will be able to summarize the Wegner's theory of continental drift..
3. Students will cite evidence from scientific articles on their graphic organizer.
Materials
1. Article Historical perspective http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/historical.html
2. Graphic Organizer for reading.
3. Highlighters
4. Pens and pencils
5. Sticky notes
6. Overhead
7. Reading strategy clue sheet
Links to Resources
Safety Issues
Instruction
Opening
On the Board:
Title: Who is Wegner and why should you care?
Activity: Without opening your notes, tear a piece of paper out of your notebook. In your own words what is the theory of Plate Tectonics? Please drop it on my desk when you have completed it.Class will begin with the teacher talking about what we have learned so fa about plate tectonics and the earth. Visuals and animations will be on hand if students are having difficulty engaging.
- Who can tell me what we have learned so far this week?
- What is the structure of the earth?
- Who thinks they got the question I asked today right?
- What is the theory of plate tectonics?
- What are plates?
To connect to today's activities...- Who makes these discoveries? At this point we will talk about the scientists.
Scientists, who are just people like you and me, make these discoveries. They do this by making observations, reading scientific information and putting together a theory. Today in class we are going to focus on how to read like a scientist while we learn about the development of the theory of plate tectonics.- What is a theory?
- Who is Wegner? Why should we care?
- Today we are going to read an article about Wegner and find out why we should care.
- First we need to talk about reading a scientific article.
(10-15minutes)Learning Activities
- What are some good strategies to use while you are doing scientific reading?
- What do you do to understand scientific reading when you are reading?
- Asking questions while you read
- Paying particular attention to bold or highlighted words
- Looking at diagrams and taking the time to make the connection to the reading, like our map interpretation exercise,
- Highlighting text
- Making connections to things we already know
- Taking the time to wonder what new words mean or what the author is saying
- Asking yourself questions
- Speculating what might happen
All of these tactics keep you focused on the reading. To read accurately and understand scientific reading students need to read differently.(10 minutes)
- The article will be passed out and as a class we will read the first two paragraphs and practice some of our reading strategies.
- The teacher will first model the strategies
- Then the students will be expected to model it out loud in class. (Please see article that has many notes and think aloud options on it to demonstrate to the class.)
(10 minutes)As most students are finishing with the reading the teacher will begin to pass out the graphic organizer to the students. Students will complete the graphic organizer using the article. The teacher will wander around the room again.
- What do fossils and climate have to do with continental drift?
- How do the plates move in continental drift?
- What are the continents made of?
- What is under the continents?
- How does concept of continental drift connect to the structure of the earth?
- Examine the maps of the earth, what observations can you make about the maps of the earth at these different times?
- Investigate Hutton's and Orthelius' contributions. How did they help Wegner to develop the theory of continental drift?
(10 minutes)Closing
At the end we will come together as a class, and have a quick wrap up discussion. At this time we will talk about how students felt about using the new strategies. We will also hold a discussion about the development of the theory of plate tectonics.
- What did the earth look like 225 million years ago?
- What is the mobile material the author was talking about on page one?
- What is the name of Wegner’s theory?
- Why did they call it that?
(5 minutes)Assessment
Informal: Students will be informally assessed with the paper they hand in in the beginning of class. Students will also be informally assessed for their reading strategies and their content understanding as they work in pairs. Students will also hand in their articles with evidence of the use of the reading strategies. So the teacher may review the use of the strategies and see if it correlates with student success.
Formal: Students will also hand in their graphic organizer to be graded at the start of next class.
Homework
Students will complete the graphic organizer for homework and hand it in for next class.
Additional Notes
Misconceptions